TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — As University of Arizona begins a new semester, concern about COVID is the main health worry but officials are monitoring monkeypox too.
Students are already coming to campus even though classes are still a week away.
Now besides educating students about COVID precautions, U of A is working to guard against monkeypox. Monkeypox tests are available at the Student Health Center and the university is working with the County health department on getting access to monkeypox vaccine.
Along with students, parents are on campus too, getting students moved in.
Freya Gray says her son’s fully vaxxed against COVID. She wants to keep him healthy and in class so she’ll urge him to wear a mask where it’s crowded.
“But at the same time, I'm not trying to bubble wrap him and keep him isolated or confined because I think we've had them confined for such a long time where the mental health of our kids have, you know, we've seen more issues and so I want him to enjoy his first year of college but at the same time, I also want him to be cautious.”
The university is holding full in-person classes. It is not requiring masks or mandating COVID tests to come to class. University President Dr. Robert Robbins is urging the university community to not let masks become a point of conflict and says if someone feels the need for a mask they should be able to wear one without interference.
Robbins is a medical doctor. He says the university will continue to put a lot of energy into fighting COVID.
“Invest resources in education, keep the story going, and provide testing, vaccination and all the things that we've talked about. But you know, I think we wanted to alert everyone that monkey pox is here, there are cases in Arizona, there is a test, we have tests.”
Robbins says students, faculty and staff can get monkeypox tests at the University Health Center.
Both Robbins and former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Richard Carmona say monkeypox could spread in the university environment where students may be in close quarters and share close contact.
Carmona says a monkeypox infection may not be obvious in its early stages.
“It sometimes just comes on as just a cold like an upper respiratory infection, and the rash itself starts out. It's usually a flat red rash, then it gets to a bumpy rash, then it can become a pustule.”
Along with COVID and monkeypox, UArizona is worried about another virus: The flu. Both doctors are urging students and staff to get their flu shots.
Incoming Freshmen Riya Luthra and Simone Gazman say they think the University’s done a good job educating about COVID.
Luthra says, “I mean, it's definitely become less of a concern now that it's been a few years but campus still provides resources like COVID tests and they encourage students to get vaccinated. So it's, they're providing resources for kids to stop worrying.”
And these students say they haven’t heard much from the University about monkeypox but they are confident they will get the resources they need to be safe.
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Craig Smith is a reporter for KGUN 9. With more than 40 years of reporting in cities like Tampa, Houston and Austin, Craig has covered more than 40 Space Shuttle launches and covered historic hurricanes like Katrina, Ivan, Andrew and Hugo. Share your story ideas and important issues with Craig by emailing craig.smith@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook and Twitter.
